Teach Through Educational Travel: Textiles in Peru

The Incans live in the Andes Mountains of Peru. They are famous for their incredibly colorful, detailed textiles, made from alpaca fiber and sheep wool. And, each village that makes textiles has its own patterns and traditions – some over 2000 years old.

Download a larger image and share the photo with your class, then try these discussion questions and classroom activities:

Peruvian textiles are famous the world over. They are very labor intensive, from start to finish. Discuss with your class the steps in creating Andean textiles – from gathering the fibers to the finished product. Check out this resource.

With your class, look at the many examples of Peruvian textiles. Then, have each student draw and color their own textile design. What colors did they use? What design details did they incorporate? Discuss how each person has a different eye for what pleases them – just as these traditional villages have different designs. Get inspired.